As far back as I can remember, every day in my life has had one thing in common—they’ve all started with a cup of Virgin Islands magic, a mug of bush tea. Bush tea is the kind of warm, earthy treat that can start your day the right way, no matter whether you choose balsam, lemongrass, or mint to add to your mug. It’s always grounded me. Linked me to an early-morning tradition of Virgin Islanders for generations before me. A day that starts with bush tea is a day I’m ready to handle, no matter what.

And today? I’m going to need two full cups. Maybe three.

Today, I’m meeting with my boss, Bronwyn, who produces my TV show, A Word from the Kitchen, for EAT TV. But Bronwyn won’t be the only one in the conference room at the station—her bosses at the parent network are going to be there too. They’ve flown all the way to Charlotte to meet with us. To meet with me, Naomi Sinclair. They have questions only I can answer.

And I’ve got those answers, of course. They just aren’t as simple as everyone thinks they are.

Last year, an opportunity opened up at the parent network to host a new show, one at the intersection of true crime and stories about food. All I had to do was create a sample episode for them to consider, an unsolved food-based mystery—murdered chefs, poisonings at fancy dinners; a story that mixed culinary with cutthroat. Right away, I thought of a story from my home island. The murder of Ursula Merchant had almost become legend in St. Thomas at this point. Forty years ago, this wildly successful businesswoman who ran a teahouse in the heart of Charlotte Amalie was found shot in the back behind a locked door in her office. That was intriguing enough, but the fact that this happened days before she was supposed to sign a major contract taking her island bush tea blends to the mass-production stage stateside made the whole thing even more mysterious.

Bronwyn told me I’d have a year to investigate the case and put together a pilot episode to be considered for the new show. Sure, it meant more work. More travel back home to St. Thomas for interviews and research. That was fine with me. Something had been going on with my parents recently. Something different about my dad that I just couldn’t put my finger on. Spending time with them might help me learn more.

And…okay, sure, maybe there was someone else on St. Thomas I wanted to spend some time with as well. Mateo Ramkumar might have grown from the goofy cutie pie I’d dated in twelfth grade to a solid, focused EMT, but he still managed to raise my temperature whenever we spent time together. I knew I could still focus on cracking the cold case of the bush tea murder, even with these…um, diversions in the background.

Except the road to finding Ursula Merchant’s killer wasn’t exactly as smooth as I’d imagined. Instead, it brought me face-to-face with a bunch of smaller problems—a stolen johnnycake recipe, a shipwrecked senator, and maubi with a side of blackmail on Christmas Eve, to name a few—that required clues, curiosity, and culinary wisdom to solve. This morning, in the conference room with Bronwyn, the studio executives, I’ll have to talk about everything—the big mystery and each of the smaller ones. The clues. The conclusions. The danger. The food. The island. The convoluted connections that pointed me toward the truth.

The hard conversation about where it all leads. The even harder one about what has to happen next.

It’s not going to be easy. In fact, I think this morning might be one of the hardest I’ve ever had. But, like I’ve told you, I’ve got my secret weapon. I’m pouring it now.

THE BUSH TEA MURDER
Series: A Caribbean Island Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: April 2026
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Culinary journalist Naomi Sinclair is cooking up a maelstrom of trouble upon her return to the blue waters of her native Saint Thomas.

A new cozy mystery set in the US Virgin Islands, this charming amateur sleuth will enrapture readers of Joanne Fluke and Carrie Doyle.

Food journalist Naomi Sinclair doesn’t expect a side of murder with her passion fruit juice. But when her return to Saint Thomas heralds a series of troubling cases, ranging from petty theft to cold-blooded murder, that threaten her tight-knit community, that is exactly the kind of unsavory treat she must sink her teeth into.

Luckily for her neighbors, Naomi is as adept at solving puzzles as rolling johnnycake dough—a good thing, since her island community, though small, keeps serving up plenty of trouble. With the help of her friends and her crush, Mateo, Naomi must navigate the tumultuous turquoise waters of life in the Caribbean, all as her beloved father battles an illness that keeps tugging her back to her island amid her rising career stateside.

Rich with mouthwatering recipes, lush landscapes, and a hefty dose of fun under the sun, THE BUSH TEA MURDER has all the ingredients to make up the perfect beach read.

Meet the author
Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier’s work has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2023, and other esteemed anthologies. Originally from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Ashley-Ruth writes mysteries highlighting the vibrant culture of her home. Ashley-Ruth is a 2022 winner of NCWN’s Jacobs-Jones award, a 2023 SMFS Derringer finalist, a Killer Nashville Claymore finalist, a 2024 recipient of MWA’s Barbara Neely grant for Black mystery writers, and a 2026 Agatha Award nominee. THE BUSH TEA MURDER is her first novel-length work. She currently lives with her family and teaches first grade in Apex, North Carolina.